Always Near
by Oerba Dia Kiri-Ki
Summary: Young Vanille loses something extremely important to her, and when she ask for help Fang declines. Angry, Vanille storms out of their home, but not before shouting words that nearly break the older pulsian. Has mild violence
1. You Don't Care!

**Author's notes**: This just happened to be a spur of the moment rp with a partner of mine, that we ended up turning into a very feels inducing story. We worked really hard on it, and would love any feed back you can offer~

And for the record, Fang is 16 and Vanille is 14 in this story.

**Disclaimer**: I obviously do not own Fang or Vanille, or anything related to Final Fantasy XIII.

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Vanille let out a pained sigh, rubbing her lower back as it clenched in a tight cramp. Today just hadn't been her day. She had bunged up her elbows catching herself as she fell down the stairs, twisted her ankle whilst out jogging and coupled with being a hormonal mess, she was more than ready just to sleep. Sitting on her bed and closing her eyes she lifted a hand by habit to touch her necklace. It was a pretty thing. A green jewel encircled with silver and hung on a silver chain- a family heirloom. Her mom had given it to her before she had died, and it was all she had to remember her by.

But the girl paled, feeling her neck for the thin chain. It wasn't there. "Oh god…" She gasped, it couldn't be missing. "Oh god… Fang!" The girl squealed before beginning to tear up her room and stopping. She had had it last out in the fields. It had to be outside. "Fang! It's gone!" Vanille went sprinting for her partner, red ringlets bouncing as she raced down the hall. "My necklace! We have to look for it!"

The older pulsian happened to be in their living room, sharpening one of her many wooden spears that had dulled over the last few days of usage. She had untied the bound stone on it's tip, which happened to be very carefully polished and sharpened by her own hands, and had set upon the routine of returning it to it's cutting sharpness. Only Fang didn't get too far into it when she heard a certain red head practically screaming her name, and loud footsteps coming down the hall until Vanille appeared behind her. "Calm down, Vanille.." The older girl started, while carefully setting her spear off her lap on onto the floor. Jade eyes fixated on the girl as she stood up and turned around, hands falling to her hips. "Ya necklace is gone?" That came as a slight shock to her, since Vanille was never one to just take it off, and she knew how important the item was. "Where was the last place ya had it, 'Nille? An' did ya already look around ya room an' all that first?"

Vanille stopped as Fang turned, hands on their usual place at her hips. "I'll calm down once my necklace is found, Fang," she said sharply. "I tore my room upside down lookin' for it! Or at least part of it… But I last had it out in the fields, earlier when we were sparrin'! We have ta look for it, okay? It was my mum's." The red-head took a shuttering breath in, beginning to tear up as she was overcome with a thousand different emotions. "T'days been so awful, le's go. Le's just go an' find it. I can't believe I've lost it!" She grabbed hold of Fang's wrist and tried to pull her gently towards the door, panic still pulsing through her small form, though slightly surprised when the tall woman before her didn't move. "You're goin' ta help me, right?"

She raised a thin brow at the tone of voice Vanille was using, not being one to enjoy being snapped at over something she couldn't have foreseen. Fang stared down on the hand that had a hold of her wrist, but refused to budge an inch when she saw where the girl had intended on going. "Vanille… It's way too dark outside for us to go out alone. Not ta mention there have been sightings of monsters in the fields!" The older girl attempted to pull the other pulsian back, trying to get her to just listen to what she was saying. "It's too dangerous righ' now, 'Nille. Let's wait until mornin' an' then go out first thing okay?" Fang doubted anyone would take it if they happened upon it, since everyone in the village would know whom it belonged to anyway.

Vanille stared up into jade eyes and was overcome by a rush of cold, jerking right back as the older Pulsian tried to pull her in to listen. "What d'ya mean it's too dark?" she asked, raising her voice a level, her blood boiling. She was tired and hurting and achy and Fang knew that, and she also knew just how much that necklace meant to her, and she didn't seem to care. "What d'you mean it's too dangerous? That's my mom's necklace! S'all I have left of her, Fang! An' you know that! So stop it with all the excuses!" The petite girl stomped her foot once as she again tried to haul the huntress towards the door and got no where, letting out an angry sound, throwing her arms down to her sides. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Tears stung in the back of her eyes as they suddenly narrowed, "Or do you jus' not care? You'll go out huntin' in the pitch black of the night, but won't help me?"

Fang was starting to get rather sick of all the yelling the girl was doing, especially when she herself had not once raised her voice to her. She was only being logical about the situation, and not willing to run outside into monster infested areas on a whim for a trinket, no matter how important it may be. Once Vanille had finally relinquished her hold on her wrist, and starting stamping her foot against the boarded floor, the older pulsian finally snapped back. "Don't ya go puttin' words in my mouth, 'Nille! I neva said I didn't care 'bout the damn necklace! 'm jus' tryin' ta keep ya safe! Besides, when I go out huntin' at night, it's with at least 2 of the adults who know how ta fight betta than me!" Fang sighed, trying to keep her anger in check. "…Look. We'll go out an' get it tomorrow. No if, an's, or buts about it!"

"I only put words in your mouth because I know it's what you're thinkin! Y-y'don't care about the necklace or about me! Not at all! Not even enough to help me when I need you!" Tears sprang then from the smaller Oerbian's green eyes, her fists clenched. " 've seen how happy you are when you're out with the others an' I'm not around! You pretend like you're happy with being tied down by s-someone like me…" her voice cracked and she wiped at her eyes furiously, "I bet you wouldn't even notice if I was gone!" Vanille's chest hurt, her heart beating hard against her ribs. She was tired of everything. Of this house. Of this town. Of this _life_. "A-an' y'know what? That's just fine! _I don't care either!_ If ya won't help, I'll find it myself! 'm probably better off without you anyway!" She all but screamed the last words, not meeting the pulsian's eyes as she ran for the door, swinging it open and stopping.

Copper ringlets bounced around her shoulders as she turned, green eyes full of angry tears, her voice starting out soft and ending in an angry shriek. "I… I hate you!" The door shook in its frame, a loud crack echoing through the house as it was slammed and the Oerbian sprinted into the darkness, bare feet hitting grass and dirt as she disappeared.


	2. Ambushed

Jade eyes stared at the front door of their home, her gaze lingering over the spot Vanille had been at not even a moment before. Fang couldn't have budged if she had wanted to, due to the last three words thrown at her in anger. "Why…?" Was the only word she could choke out, as her throat and mouth had gone completely dry. The pulsian slowly sunk down to her knees, bringing them up against her chest tightly as that single thought rang in her mind. "Why Vanille...?" How come the girl couldn't see how much she meant to her? Fang had always been happy being with Vanille everyday since they met, and would have never left her side. So why had this suddenly been the last straw?

"…What did I do, 'Nille… I was only tryin' to protect ya like always.." She murmured to herself, while burying her tanned face into her knees. The pain in her chest only grew over the matter of minutes that passed, with ears yearning to hear that voice calling her name once more, or those pale arms pulling her into a hug. But neither came, and it dawned on her that Vanille was really gone. And worse of all, she hated her now. Just that thought alone made tears sting the corners of her eyes, and it didn't take long before there were steady streams falling down the sides of her cheeks. "Come back…"

Vanille wasn't sure how far she had run, but she didn't stop, not even as the grass grew higher and whipped across her bare skin. Tears streamed down the young Oerbian's face and were lost in the wind as she ran, her ankle screaming at her and her head feeling fit to burst- but the pain in her chest, in her heart, was what hurt the very most.

_Dammit, Fang!_ Her thoughts swore, flaming locks having long since fallen from their pigtails as she threw a nearly hopeful glance over her shoulder, having sworn she had heard something, and feeling almost ill at the emptiness behind her. Secretly she wanted to hear the taller woman's voice calling after her- for her long, swift strides to give chase and catch up to her. Deep down she all but hoped to be tackled down and forced to listen; to be pulled into a tight embrace in those tan arms and for them both to yell or to cry or to do whatever the hell they would need to do.

And she stopped, and everything suddenly hurt. Fang hadn't come after her. She hadn't cared that she had left.

Vanille let out a mangled sob, anger being rivaled only by sadness as she crumpled down to meet the cool earth. Or she'd hurt her. With such strong words, especially said so fiercely. And the red head wasn't even sure if she'd meant it, almost 100 percent sure against it.

"Dammit," She muttered softly, repeating it several times as she realized just how much she probably had hurt her. Standing weakly she tried to breathe around her tears, walking again, having to fight as the grass resisted her and her small stature. Suddenly she was on edge. A howl ripped through the night and Vanille jumped, whirling to see the long hair and sharp teeth of a Silver Lobo, and caught all of its jagged claws across and down the soft skin of her torso, and down the top of her thigh, forced back to the earth with a sharp sound of impact and a shocked, stacatto sound of pain.

Vanille screamed.


	3. The Wolf and the Hunter

Fang stared blankly at the floor under her bare feet, not having moved from that spot since the one single most important person to her had left. She was breaking, it wasn't that hard to tell by the way her eyes were slightly glazed over, as if she was trying to separate herself from the physical pain throbbing in her chest.

But no matter how hard she may try, she'd always snap back to reality, and the fact Vanille was long gone. And yet, why hadn't she gone after her? Hadn't she promised to always be there and to look out for the girl? Her hand automatically reached for the spear she had been tending to earlier, and grasped in tightly in her hand.

This was no time to be wasting precious minutes sitting there, feeling sorry for herself when the younger girl was all alone in the wilderness. Fang pushed herself up with from the floor, and bolted out the door, hearing it slam shut a moment later as her form disappeared into the distance towards the fields. After what felt like hours of running, she had to skid to a stop and catch her breath. It was cold, and the wind whipping her hair around stung her exposed skin.

Having been so fixated on leaving to find Vanille, Fang had forgotten to even wear appropriate attire. Not that she truly gave a damn in a time like this. _…I hope ya'll forgive me 'Nille.. I never meant for this ta happ—_ Her thoughts were pierced by a deadly howl from ahead of her. It could only be the monster everyone had been talking about, but as she went to take a shortcut to where she thought Vanille would be… She heard that scream. Vanille's scream.

Her legs had never sprinted as fast as they were doing now, as she ran towards the source. "VANILLE!" Fang shouted, praying, hoping for an answer, but as she was going to call for her again, she entered a small clearing and felt her stomach churn. There was blood splattered on the damp ground, and the form of a red haired girl was crumpled over on her side facing away from her.

"No..."

The older pulsian ran towards the body, only to be intercepted by the hulking form of a male silver lobo. It snarled at her, and her spear appeared in her hands from off her back in a split second. "I'll kill ya for touchin' her!" Fang growled right back at the beast as it lunged at her, barely missing her as she rolled to the side. She came around and stabbed the sharpened end of her spear into it's thick neck, making it roar out in agony as it's foul blood tainted the ground underneath it.

It managed to catch her off guard with it's tail though, and as she stumbled backwards trying to regain her footing, those dagger like claws caught her on her right shoulder, digging in enough to cause a deep gash. A pained hiss passed over her lips, as she righted herself and pressed her hand into her injured shoulder. She could still fight, though it would hurt a hell of a lot and there was a chance of major blood loss.

The lobo seemed to think she was down for the count, and turning his back on her, lumbered over towards where Vanille lay, it's maw wide open as he went to bite into her flesh. The beast didn't get a chance. Fang hurled her body against him, ramming her shoulder forcefully in it's side, sending it toppling over. Her good arm shot to the band around her waist, and quickly unsheathed one of the daggers she carried on her at all times, the very ones Vanille had gotten her for her last birthday.

The pulsian used the last burst of strength she could muster, and vaulted onto the monster's back before it could get up. A hand clenched a handful of it's fur to keep her steady, while the dagger wielding one brought the weapon down hard on it's skull, the blade stabbing directly into it's brain. A low gurgling erupted from the lobo's mouth, until it slumped over onto it's side, and very much dead. "…Hnn..g.." Fang shuffled away from the corpse, and fell to her knees at the side of the red head's body.

Scratched up and bleeding hands reached to touch her shoulder, but could barely manage due to how badly they were shaking in fear. "V-Vanille…? …Please… No…"

Tears flowed from her misty green eyes, and fell onto those fair skinned cheeks, as her hand finally pushed a few strands of that fiery red hair away from her face.

"…Please… You can't be…"


	4. Vanille's Perspective

Author's note: This chapter includes what happened right before Fang showed up, so more or less it's in Vanille's perspective for the time being.

* * *

The red-head screamed, as she threw her hands up and to catch the Silver Lobo's muzzle in both of her palms, pushing back as the large, clawed paw on her torso forced a few strangled sounds from her throat. It felt as if her midriff had been set to flame in three long gashes across her pale stomach, and she fought the tears that stung in the back of her grassy green eyes. The wolf resembling monster threw its neck side to side, in an attempt to rid its maw of her arms, and she held on, letting out a loud wail as long claws dug in slightly, sending white hot jolts of pain across her abdomen.

Vanille did all she could think of, slamming a clenched fist into the Lobo's eye and across its snout desperately, an arm wrapped around its muzzle as she attempted to daze it. Stumbling, the feral creature released her from underneath its paws, and with a throw of its neck threw the petite girl to the ground where she rolled, winding up on her back.

The Oerbian threw her head back and kicked, wriggling and folding into her side, curling in as if to hide her wounds, a groan broken up by sobs and gasps for breath passing lips white with pain and fear.

"Fa-ang…" She let out a chocked sob, her heart beating a panicked rhythm against the wall of her chest as she stared down, pressing her hands against her stomach in a desperate attempt to slow the blood that fell through her fingers, and began to color the grass around her. "No…" She gasped, swearing at herself.

It almost didn't seem real, as crimson bubbled through her fingers and coursed over her cream colored skin, the small Oerban fighting for air to breathe but unable to force it to her lungs. She didn't fight the tears that flowed freely down her face in rivers, her thoughts a mangled knot of fear and grief and panic and Fang.

_Fang_.

The one person who had stuck with her through everything.

Who hadn't been stolen by an early grave.

Who hadn't shoved or kicked or bullied, like her schoolmates.

Who had pulled her into tanned arms when she cried, patched her up when she fell, and had protected her so many times in the past.

The one person that she trusted with her life and, as she was realizing, her heart.

And the same one she had screamed at not even hours before.

She choked on tears as she hit the grass of the clearing, narrowly evading the lobo as she rolled to the side. _Fang… 've got ta tell her that 'm sorry…_ She thought, her mouth tasting of iron, the edges of her vision growing darker as she climbed back to her feet.

She couldn't die.

Not yet.

Not with the single most important person in her life thinking she was hated.

Copper ringlets bounced as Vanille searched her surroundings blearily for some sort of refuge, her breath coming in short gasps.

The Pulsian saw it- a tree. _Their _tree, no more than five yards off and sturdy enough for her to hide in.

She gave it no further thought, sprinting towards her refuge. Her vision flashed with flecks of white and the gashes over her stomach screamed- but she wasn't fast enough.

With a low growl the lobo caught up, lifting a clawed limb and swiping her sideways, her form landing hard and bouncing to halt with the girl on her side.

The world stopped. Vanille's sight going black as she felt herself hit the ground a second time, her head popping back and against the hard earth as she felt her heart hollowly thump against her ribs. All she could hear was a high pitched whine, a screaming in her ears that was joined suddenly by a growl and the screaming of something… or someone else- _Fang_. Her heart skipped a beat, green eyes closing as she let out a soft whimper, trying to move in vain as her leadened body refused to budge. Her breath came in short gasps now, and the pain was slowly dulling.

_It can't be the end.._ She thought, grassy eyes wet with tears, blood wetting her hair where she lay on her side. _I need ta tell her, ta tell her-_

"V-Vanille?… Please… no," Her heart fluttered, as shaking hands touched her shoulder and moved over her forehead, pushing hair from her eyes which she fought to open.

"F-Fang…" It was a soft word that was cut off as her world was jostled, green eyes meeting their just as teary opposites as she was moved. Tears flowed again, and she tried to make out what the huntress was saying, unable to understand her words. She was warm, now. Those arms carrying her close, she was safe and she knotted a hand in Fang's sari, letting out a soft sound as she felt herself fall, though she hadn't moved an inch in her arms.

_It was getting too late._

"I-I'm sorry," Vanille cried softly, leaning her head against Fang's chest, her heart laboring, "S-so sorry." She pulled in a rough gasp, memories flooding her. Vanille didn't want to leave her. She loved Fang, and all of their mischief. Late night star gazing and sparring, tickle fights, and those precious moments when they'd curl up on the couch, and she would be held as she fell asleep. "I-" She pulled in a jagged breath, fighting back the urge to rest, "I-I… I love you, Fang. O-okay?"

Darkness swallowed the red-haired Oerbian as the final word slipped past her lips, her body limp where it hung in her partner's arms.

_Always..._


	5. Stay With Me

Fang's heart literally stopped beating for a brief moment, when her named slipped past very weak lips. Her arms instinctively pulled her in close, though taking care not to irritate the wounds on her body. Viridian eyes looked down at Vanille's side, and widened at the damage done to her poor partner. There was so much blood, and it was still spilling out onto the grass, painting it a deep crimson red. If she didn't get the girl home soon, there wouldn't be any hope for her, and Fang knew she wouldn't be able to live without the young red head by her side.

"..'Nille hold on.. 'm gonna get ya home, an' fix ya up… So please jus'… Hold on…" The older girl whispered to the one in her arms.

She tossed a glanced over to the massive corpse of the silver lobo, and the shaft of her spear that was sticking out from it's neck. There was no point in trying to drag it out now, and the body was definitely not going anywhere, so for now her free hand shoved her knife back into it's holster on her waist band. Fang carefully maneuvered an arm under Vanille's legs, and slowly picked her up off the ground, cradling her against her chest.

As she started to turn and head back towards their home, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. She got a better look and realized it was the necklace. The very thing that had started all _this_, and had put the younger pulsian into danger.

Fang stepped over towards it and knelt down, shifting the girl's weight into one arm momentarily as she scooped the item up in her hand, and let it slide down the length of her arm as to not lose it. However, as she went to stand up again, she felt those fingers bury into her sari, and Vanille practically whimper an apology as her feet moved on their own, carrying the two back on their way to Oerba. She didn't get very far down the path when the red head tried speaking again, her voice so frail and weak that it made her chest tighten in fear.

Those simple words made her heart ache even more, but as she was going to open her mouth and give her a response, the girl went slack in her arms. A cold chill passed through her body, and the second she had pushed her way out of the tall grass of the field, she made a mad dash down the damp road into town.

Every minute that was spent in the silence running, was another minute that Vanille couldn't afford to waste.

Finally, after what felt like centuries navigated in the pitch blackness of pulse, the low glow of lights entered her sight and it gave her the energy she needed to pick up her pace. And within a few more minutes Fang had finally reached the town, but paid no heed to the few guards who where out and about, asking where she had been.

Concerned words, and shouts for her to stop fell on deaf ears, as their house came into view. The pulsian came crashing into the front door, and slamming it shut with her scraped up leg. She quickly carried Vanille over towards the fireplace, and set her down gently on the cool wooden floor.

Time was of the essence now, and the girl bounced up and ran back over to the door, making sure to lock it so no one could disturb her. Fang ran all over the house after that, grabbing bandages, a needle and a roll of very fine medical twine, and stuff to clean those nasty gashes on her poor Vanille.

She soon reappeared at the side of the red head, and made sure she was still breathing. It was very faint, but she still had a pulse, and her chest was rising and falling ever so softly, indicating their was some amount of air being taken in. Fang hunkered down near that fire, slender fingers pulling off the shredded remains of Vanille's clothing, and tossing them into a pile to deal with later.

The damage done was worse than she had first thought, and all 3 gashes were deep and still leaking blood in spots. Trained eyes figured out which was the worst of the three, knowing it would need to be taken care of first.

Her hand fumbled around with the cleaning supplies until she had a soaked swab of cotton ready, and went about carefully cleaning the jagged middle rake mark. Applying a bit of pressure here and there helped, and soon she had gotten it to stop bleeding enough for her to thread her needle. Stitching was oddly something was good at, but had always been made fun of by the other kids, since there had been days where she practice solely for the purpose of getting better.

Those days were training were paying off, as she worked the thread into the torn skin, closing up the wound with nimble movements. One down, three smaller but equally bad gashes left to go.

Fang repeated all her previous steps on the second and third spots, making sure they were each cleaned as best as possible, and stitched up neatly.

She paused after that though, and dropped a blood covered hand onto the younger girl's forehead, and just stared at her, wishing she could hear that sweet voice again, telling her everything was going to be fine and that she would never leave her…


	6. Relief

"Nngh..." Vanille woke softly to the touch of a warm hand, and light viridian green eyes opened to be blinded by bright light.

_I'm dead... I'm.. Dead._

"Fang!" The girl cried out, startled, her voice only slightly louder than a whisper, kicking and then wincing, a soft sob breaking loose of her throat. There was an unfamiliar tightness in the skin of her abdomen that throbbed with the pulse that rang in time with what she thought was her heartbeat, and the light slowly dimmed and colors found their way into her vision, revealing the sight of a sixteen year old, whose green eyes stared warily down at her.

Tears sprang from her eyes, as she attempted to raise a hand to touch the blood splotched face above her, "_Fang_... Am I dead? I-I can't... I.. I don't wanna leave... And it hurts."

Fang's hand touched the side of her face, and something was said that the young Pulsian didn't quite hear, a spell of lethargy breaking her focus, her tears slowing as she let out a soft whimper. She labored to pull in a steady breath, her mind a mess of emotions.

All she wanted was Fang, to be held and feel her warmth. She'd thought she was never going to see her again, and here she was.

She'd been given another chance.

Green eyes searched those of her savior, relief clouding them with tears as she forced herself up with a soft sound, shaking as she tried to wrap an arm around the huntress. "Fang," she whined, "Y-you came for me... An'.. Ya aren't angry, are you? I...C-can y'jus'... Can I have a hug?"

Fang gently combed her fingers through that fiery red hair, being careful not to catch them on the clots of dried blood and hair that littered Vanille's head. "Shhh... Course I came for ya, 'Nille.. I promise ya I'd always protect ya.." She tried forcing a smile to ease Vanille's fear, but it was hard for her when the red head was so very weak, and badly mangled to boot.

"..'Nille, ya know I could neva stay angry at ya for long." Which was true for her, since the minute Vanille had stormed out of their home, her world had been flipped upside down.

It had never occurred to her at just how much she needed the girl in her life, until she thought she had lost her forever.

Tan arms wrapped soon around Vanille, and she listened to the huntress's voice, if not her words, crying softly as she wriggled in closer. Her eyes taking in the blood that covered them both, her stomach clenching in a bolt of dull pain, and she laid her head on Fang's chest, the heartbeat calming her own, and suddenly she was tired. "We-we're such a-a mess..." she sighed, closing her eyes and just relishing being held.

Fang was there.

She was okay.

It didn't matter if she ever recovered, not if Fang was there. "Y'know what?" She whispered, "A warm bath s-sounds lovely..."

The older girl pressed a small kiss on the top of that head of hair, and focused on the beating of their hearts against one another. Vanille's was faint, but it was there and that's all that mattered. Though she did have a point, and as her partner nestled against her chest, Fang moved her arm carefully under her body and held her close.

"Ya can have one if ya want, 'Nille. But ya ain't in no condition ta be doin' it ya self, so 'm gonna be takin' care of ya whether ya like it or not." Fang answered, while picking her up and slowly moving down the hall towards the bathroom.

_Ya act like I'm gonna mind._ The petite girl thought to herself, her slowly coloring lips curved in a small, passive smile as the older Oerban carried her down the hall, her green eyes fluttering but forced to stay open by their owner as she gazed up at Fang.

Fang was her guardian, her _everything_, and the thought that they had almost been separated for good over a _necklace_, no matter how important it was, made her more than a tad disappointed in herself.

The door to the bathroom swung open, via the older girl nudging it open with her shoulder, and Fang sat Vanille down against the bathroom floor, the cold tiles giving her a small shock to her bare legs. Vanille's head swam and she moved to brace herself with a hand against the floor, watching, slightly spaced, as Fang leaned over the side of the tub, and turned on the water.

The rumbling of the wall was oddly calming to Vanille, as the hot water rushed out and slowly filled up the tub up. She looked up when that tanned figured bent back down near her.

The small girl did her best to help Fang to undress her then, watching with a strange detachment as her favorite shirt, now torn and splattered with blood, _her own_ blood, flew through the air and into the hamper. She choked back a small sound, turning her bleary eyes away and instead to the tub, steam already rising from the warm water.

Fang offered the red-head a small smile, and gently lifted her into the tub, Vanille passively allowing herself to be laid back against the side of the tub and propped up. She let out a long, relieved sigh as the water washed up to warm her skin, her muscles relaxing, and the pain of her wounds seeming immediately to lessen.

"There.. I bet that feels much betta.. Hopefully it helps numb the pain some.." Fang thought out loud, and grabbed a clean wash rag from a nearby cabinet. The stitches in Vanille's skin were holding very well, but there was still the matter of getting all that caked on mud and dried up blood off her body.

And of course Fang knew she would still need to get cleaned up herself, since the stinging in her shoulder reminded her that she was still injured.

But Vanille had to come first.

She would _always_ come first...

The red-head looked down at her stomach through the water as Fang dipped that soft rag in and started to gently clean the blood away from the wounds, admiring the neat sutures in their three, long rows.

_She always was the better medic.._

The girl thought, smiling softly as Fang took great pains to remove all of the blood and muck from her skin, more than careful not to touch the tender parts of her wounds.

_Then again, she's had plenty of practice, livin' with a klutz like me.._

Vanille's mind wandered then, through all of their little tussles and all of her minor injuries. This hadn't been the first time she'd been carried home, or the first time Fang had had to clean her up, although it _had _been her first brush with death.

Her heart suddenly ached, and she looked up at Fang, grassy eyes scanning her form. She'd nearly left Fang all alone. "Hey, Fang? ...Were ya scared?"


	7. Making Up

Sage eyes widened by a mere fraction, as the huntress' hand suddenly stopped it's movement against Vanille's pale and slightly marred skin. Fang hung her head low, a couple of her dual-toned locks falling down and covering her eyes. Her arms soon fell limp against the side of the tub, as images of the night's events flashed through her mind.

Scared?

Of course she had been... More scared than she had ever felt before. Vanille was the last thing she had in life, and was her sole reason for living now. If that got taken away from her...

_She might as well not be living at all._

A few tears ran down her cheeks, falling down into the tub and causing a few noticeable ripples in the water's surface. "..I was so scared, 'Nille... When I saw ya layin' there on ya side, all bloodied up and hurt I thought... I thought I was too late."

Fang lifted her head, and stared Vanille in the eyes, her own etched with the pain and fear she had been hit with earlier.

"Ya were so weak, an' those rake marks on ya body were so bad.. So very bad. I... I wasn't even sure I was gonna get ya home in time." The pulsian reached out a trembling hand back in the hot water, and gently rested it over the worst of the stitched up wounds. "It was still bleedin' when I got here, an' I know if I hadn't gotten ya fixed up as fast as I did... I woulda lost ya..."

She choked back more tears, and managed to clear her throat somewhat. There were so many other things she wanted to say, but one needed to be said. To be heard by the red haired girl in her care.

"I can't lose ya, Vanille... I jus' _can't_."

"Oh, Fang.." The girl whimpered, teary eyes meeting their counterparts, and seeing all of the pain _she_ had placed there. It killed her to see Fang like this, knowing she was the cause.

_I'm so sorry, Fang.._

She really had hurt her bad. She had thrown hateful, angry words at her over something beyond her control, and then had scared them both out of their minds with nearly dying, _all over some necklace_.

Vanille squeezed the hand on her stomach fervidly as she took hold with shaking hands, her thoughts harassing her with every mistake she'd made that night.

The wounded preteen couldn't help it. Everything came out, the first of several tears making their way down her cheeks.

"I'm so so sorry... I-I never meant ta hurt you. I was just angry at the world an' you were the only one there for me ta strike at..." She cried, letting out a soft noise and wiping at her eyes desperately with her forearm, feeling guilty and full of grief. "An' I was so scared... When I was hurt. I-I was afraid I wouldn't ever see you again, Fang."

Images flooded her mind and she hopelessly tried to fight back even more tears. "I was scared that I would lose everything. That I'd never be able ta hear your laugh again, an' that I'd never sit down and have breakfast with ya'.. And that you'd have t'ride chocobos an' train by yourself an'-an' I didn't wanna go- cause Heaven just wouldn't be Heaven without you there..." Vanille dropped her gaze, shaking her head and sending a few tearful breaths to tight lungs, as what started as a light sniffle were turning into sobs, "An- all I wanted was ta be back home with you... Even when I was runnin'. All I could think about was wanting for you ta be there. For you ta stop me. For you ta wake me up out of some nightmare, but knowing you never would and... And the awful things I said..."

The red-head paused, grimacing tearfully. Raising her eyes to meet Fang's, Vanille took a shaking hand and grabbed hold of the older Pulsian, pulling her close and throwing an arm around her hastily, her voice softer and tear choked as she continued.

"F-Fang, I-I didn't mean what I said- Okay? I could never ever hate you... Y'know that, right? N-never... I-I love you too much... I-I jus'.. I dunno what I'd do without you. An' I know what I said wasn't right, an' that nothin' I say could justify forgiveness, but... I'm so sorry. For hurtin' you like that. F-for everythin'!"

"Vanille..." The huntress was almost at a loss for words, not having expected this little outburst from the girl, even after truthfully answering her question. Fang's hands reached up to cup both of Vanille's cheeks, and she leaned her head down to kiss all those tears away. ".. I love ya too, 'Nille.. So ya don't need ta apologize anymore, alrigh'? We both did a few things we regret, an' could equally share in the blame.."

The huntress pressed her forehead against her partner's, and the red head let out a soft sigh at the contact, nuzzling her nose into Fang's in return. It was a usual sign of affection between them, and it helped sooth each others nerves. They stayed like that for countless minutes in the silence, just enjoying the closeness between them. Until the older of the two moved a hand into the other's semi wet red locks, and caught it in a small clump of bloodied hair.

This little action made Fang pull back, and take a good look at the rest of Vanille's head. There was quite a few similar clumps scattered in her silky hair, and it had completely passed over her head to wash the girl's hair. "..Needa get those clumps taken care of.." She mumbled out loud, and pulled out of Vanille's reach to grab her favorite bottles of shampoo and conditioner. The younger pulsian leaned back into the side of the tub, as Fang knelt back down.

A bit of apple scented shampoo was rubbed between her palms, before Fang applied it into Vanille's hair, her fingers carefully kneading into her scalp, making the young girl close her eyes and hum a little tune in contentment. It was a simple tune really, one that her mother had taught her, and she in turn had taught Fang. The brunette smiled, adding in her own little hum, as one of her partially bubbled covered hands reached behind her and grabbed a small cup off to her side.

Vanille let out a small squeak when she felt warm water get poured on her head, which nearly ran into her eyes. It felt good though, and she could feel those dried clots of blood wash away. She seemed a bit disappointed when the fingers in her hair left though, even if her hair _was _completely cleaned and un-knotted now.

"..There, much betta." Fang thought out loud, and ran her fingertips through a strand. "Now that ya all nice an' clean, how 'bout we dry ya off, hm?" She asked while turning around and reaching for a towel, though a huge jolt of pain in her shoulder made her wince as her hand grasped the fluffy material.

It was a nice reminder of the damage done to her own body, which she hadn't even tended to, nor really planned on until she had made sure Vanille was fine.


	8. Ebbing the Pain

**Author's note**: Finally got around to posting this next chapter, and I apologize for the long wait.. I know a lot of people were looking forward to reading more. Originally this chap was shorter, but I went back and edited/added more to make up for my absence.

* * *

'Nille slowly opened her eyes as she sat up, the scent of orchard fresh apples wafting openly around the bathroom, a content smile finding its way to her face. The girl's mind was still fogged by blood-loss, but her heart felt right at home, the fourteen-year-old Oerban beginning to realize that everything was going to be alright.

After all, Fang had rescued her; she was safe and clean, and more importantly the older pulsian had forgiven her. On the plus side though, she had gotten bathed as well.

Vanille watched as the tan sixteen-year-old bent for a towel, wincing as her hand closed around the bright white cotton. Looking closer and fighting the persistent exhaustion the blood-loss pulled over her eyes, she saw it- a rough gash in Fang's shoulder.

"_Fang_..." She murmured softly, "Fang! Y-You're hurt! Let me help you!" She insisted, and suddenly the girl was on her feet, but no faster had she stood than had she let out a rough sound as stitches were stretched and the world spun, her small form beginning to fall over the tub's side.

Fang spun around at the sound of splashing water, and the loud squeaking of the slippery tub as Vanille went falling over the side. Her arms shot out just in time to catch the girl from smashing into the floor, but paid for it when another jolt of searing pain coursed through her bad arm up into her shoulder.

"C-Calm down, 'Nille.. Please, ya needa be careful with all those stitches.." She sighed, fighting off the urge to clench her teeth in pain, while carefully wrapping the girl up in the towel she had grabbed. The red-head craned her neck for a view as Fang sat her back up, and began to dry off her auburn hair off, trying to see the awkwardly positioned gash she had fleeting caught sight of. She got momentarily distracted though, as water droplets were whisked off her skin by the fluffy towel, with a few of the hunter's brisk movements.

Deft bronzed hands then wiped the material down both the female's pale arms, soon moving over her flat chest then down to the lacerations - which she took extra precaution while drying the area. She needed to make sure stitches wouldn't get snagged, and pulled on by the towel.

After a few more long, tedious, and drawn out minutes of fussing over Vanille's petite form, she was done. It hadn't bothered Fang one bit that Vanille had made quite a few whiny sounds and remarks during the process, in protest of wanting to see her sister's injury already. But whether or not she liked it, the red head's health would always come first.

Once little Vanille was dry, warm and wrapped up in that towel, only then did Fang revert back to the topic of her shoulder. "..Don't worry 'bout it too much, alrigh'? It's just a small cut, nothin' too serious." She said while patting Vanille on the head, though honestly not even knowing just how bad that wound was.

"Small cut?" The petite Oerban whispered, incredulous, "I've seen _small cuts_... That was _not_ one of 'em! Please Fang, let me see it?" She begged, flashing Fang a small smile, and her biggest puppy dog eyes before gently turning her and taking her arm, adjusting it slightly - careful not to move it enough to cause pain, but just enough to fully expose the wound.

Fang stood there motionless, staring blankly at the restroom door as this happened. Vanille blanched, eyes widened, letting out a soft sigh as she saw the injury across her favorite Pulsian's shoulder. It wasn't the worst she'd seen Fang come home with, but, it was _far_ from minor and without some form of treatment it would definitely get worse.

"This is my fault... It was the Lobo, wasn't it?" Green eyes fell to examine the floor as she grimaced, a hand absently tracing one of the gashes across her stomach; before she pulled in a breath, and found her partner's mossy eyes. "Let me fix it," She said eagerly, "It's the least I can do. ...Please, Fang?"

"But 'Nille.. Ya should be restin', not worryin' bout me.. I'll be fine, I swear." Fang objected tiredly, clearly not thrilled at Vanille's adamant display of whining and demands. She was sore, exhausted, and above all just wanted to see the younger girl into bed so she could promptly pass out herself. But the one way that would come any faster, seemed to be letting her pulsian sister have her way - whether she really wanted to, or not.

Vanille flashed a triumphant grin, as Fang flopped herself onto the cool tiled floor, back facing her partner. She flinched the second the girl's fingertips brushed over her wound, the gash itself being overly sensitive and swollen at this point.

"Ah... Fang... I wish you would have taken care of yourself first..." She grumbled, not particularly mad at the older female, but still not pleased she refused to take care of herself properly. Thankfully it wasn't anywhere near as deep as her own slashes, but still enough to where Fang's muscles would hurt a lot for the next few days.

"You know this is going to hurt like _hell_ when I clean it, right..?" She finally spoke up again, after a long silence had fallen between them - in which the only interaction between the two had been Vanille's fingers over the exposed flesh, and ripped fabric of Fang's sari.

"...Yeah, I know."


End file.
